They constrained Him, saying, Abide with us.
If they had not thus constrained Him, He would have passed on.
Think what the disciples would have missed in the blessed revealing at the table if He had not gone in with them. We do not know how many of the best things of divine love we miss continually because of the languidness of our praying.
We ask and receive not, because we ask with so little urgency. We seek and find not, because we seek so languidly and give up so soon. We knock, and the door is not opened to us, because we knock only lightly and indifferently, and then go away.
This incident suggested the words of the hymn with which we are so familiar:
“Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!”